Meanings
plural turnaways
- attributiveoftenThe situation where a potential customer is turned away because their needs cannot be accommodated.
The night show then pulled a turnaway and the extra night show drew near-capacity.
1953 August 8, Billboard, page 621 more example
If only one person at a time is permitted to use an e-book (SUPO option), then users will experience "turnaways" when they try to access a title already in use. […] Presenting an option to email the library can provide a means to gather feedback from your users each time they experience a turnaway. Ask your vendor what options are available to ameliorate turnaways if that is a concern for your library.
2015, Theresa S. Arndt, Getting Started with Demand-Driven Acquisitions for E-books
Origin
Deverbal from turn away.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish eioo
- eiooTranslations
Cite this entry
turnaway. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turnaway
“turnaway.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turnaway. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “turnaway,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turnaway.
Source: turnaway on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.